Recently President Barack Obama has come under fire for his failure to jump start job growth within the black community. Those from the left have lambasted his efforts, or lack thereof, to create jobs so the President recently crafted legislation that promises to do just that, create jobs.
His new plan is called the “American Jobs Act” and by some estimates the President’s program will create 1 million jobs. Bravo to the President and his team if this estimate proves to be true. Not only are black folks suffering but the rest of America shares in that struggle with them. If the President fails to do something that will reassure Americans that he knows what he’s doing, then his tenure in the White House will be four years shorter than what he planned.
But while the President is busy crafting a plan to boost job growth our local leadership here in Orlando has done, well, nothing.
State Senator Gary Siplin is too busy handing out belts to students to make sure their pants don’t fall past their waist, to worry about job growth. During the last legislative session Siplin voted yes for a state budget that cut teachers and public sector employee salaries by three percent and reduced the budget for state Healthy Start programs by over $5 million.
Orlando City Commissioner Daisy Lynum (District 5) was recently quoted by the Orlando Sentinel as saying that the Orlando Magic’s new proposed entertainment complex downtown was done in a secretive way.
The so-called “secretive” nature of that deal was quickly debunked by Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer in an interview with the West Orlando News who said plans for redevelopment of the Parramore area have been in the works for at least six years now, and in particular, north of the Amway Center when that facility was being conceptualized.
Then there is the disappearance of Orange County Commissioner Tiffany Moore-Russell (District 6) and Orlando City Commissioner Sam Ings (District 6).
Orange County and the City of Orlando have recently held local hearings on how new political lines will be drawn for the next ten years starting in 2012. County Commissioner Moore-Russell was present at one meeting in Pine Hills but she failed to stay for the entire hearing.
City Commissioner Lynum has voiced her concern that her area of representation, District 5 in Orlando, will be diluted and that their interests will not be represented.
I wonder if Commissioner Lynum was referring to her own self interest. Hmmm…
Have we heard from any black elected official on the importance of redistricting? Has any local elected official come out to implore the residents of his or her community to attend these meetings? Not for partisan or political reasons but just for educational purposes.
When will our community demand more from those we send off to represent our interests? Have we seen any outrage by any local black leaders at the lack of mention regarding Orlando or Orange County’s unemployment rate?
What about the plans for redevelopment in Pine Hills? Anything on problems with poverty within the City?
There is a saying that we get the government that we deserve and until we demand more we’ll continue to be treated like political pawns.
